He was thus entrusted with church funds to pay the transport operator for its services and any related maintenance works.

Pang's crimes came to light in August last year when the church's pastor and chairman discovered some accounting discrepancies while he was checking the church's records.

When confronted, Pang admitted to embezzling church funds.

He claimed to have financial difficulties because of his gambling addiction.

Using a variety of methods, including submitting fictitious invoices, he misappropriated $37,031 from the church. He has since made full restitution.

In mitigation, Pang's lawyer Ashwin Ganapathy said that when his client encountered difficulties paying his children's education and household expenses, he began to invest in stocks and bonds, and lost huge sums of money.

Said the lawyer: "He then decided foolishly to embark on gambling.

"He naively thought that by gambling, he would win back the money (losses) that he suffered from the investments."

Pang, the lawyer added, gradually became addicted to gambling.

He has since taken steps to overcome his addiction by completing a gambling addiction recovery group counselling course. He has also been invited to serve as a volunteer to help other gambling addicts.

Pang could have been jailed for up to seven years and/or fined for criminal breach of trust.